About Me

I am a person with varied interests.
Music is my breath and though I like all kinds of music, I am enamoured of the variety and the depth of Indian Classical music.As far as Film music is concerned, I love Old songs and ILaiyaraaja-whom I consider as one of the best composers in the world- is my favourite composer.
I love travelling and meeting new people . A lover of nature, I prefer those long walks.

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Friday, 22 July 2011

ILaiyaraaja-The Enlightened Musician..

‘He, who has swallowed all the Seven Worlds, lies on a tiny banyan leaf; Bedecked with garlands of gems and pearls, He lies on the Serpant. Oh..His Dark blue complexion and His infinite Beauty has filled my heart to the brim!!”

ஆலமாமரத்தின் இலை மேல் ஒரு பாலகனாய்

ஞாலம் ஏழும் உண்டான் அரங்கத்து அரவின் அணையான்

கோலமாமணி ஆரமும் முத்துத் தாமமும் முடிவில்லதோர் எழில்

நீலமேனி ஐயோ! நிறை கொண்டது என் நெஞ்சினையே..

Sang ThiruppaaN Azhwar.

The story of ThiruppaN Azhwar, one of the 12 great Vaishnavite saints is very interesting. He was born as in a ‘low caste’ family somewhere around the 9th Century. Caste system, the bane of the Indian society was very strictly followed those days and people born in certain castes were not even allowed to go near the temple.

Being born in a family of musicians (PaaNars were traditionally VeeNa players) , he was adept in music and would play the VeeNa everyday closing his eyes on the banks of the Cauvery river in Sri Rangam. One day, a Saint-obviously an ‘upper caste’- who came to draw sacred water for the Lord, saw him close to the river and asked him to clear the place. Engrossed in his own music, PaaNar failed to hear that. The ‘Saint’ threw a stone to chase him away.

PaaNar started bleeding profusely.

It is said that blood started oozing out from Ranganathar(the presiding deity at Sri Rangam). The ‘Saint’ was ordered by the Divine to carry PaaNar on his shoulders and bring him to his Sanctum Sanctorum. PaaNar was stuck by the beauty of the Lord and started singing verses describing His beauty from Toe to Head. In his 10th verse, he said ‘My eyes cannot see anything/anybody else after this’ and attained salvation.

Though none of us can confirm now if this story was true or not, all of us can read and appreciate the beauty in his 10 verses. Among the 12 Azhwars, ThiruppaNaazwar composed the least number of verses(while Nammazhawar composed 1296!).But each verse is a gem.

The verse quoted above is the 9th verse. Look at the brilliant composition.It starts with the description of the little Krishna on the tiny green leaf. Then he goes on to describe the Huge Ranganatha (another form of Lord Vishnu) as the one who is decorated with priceless jewellry .

Look at the contrasts:

Little figure, Huge figure.

Tiny leaf, Big serpent.

Simple, Decorated with Jewellery.

Big tree(Maa maram), Infant.

Infant, Seven Worlds.

Is it not brilliant?

His story also throws up a lot of sociological issues. A ‘high caste’ carrying a ‘low caste’ on his shoulders. A ‘low caste’ uneducated singing and composing brilliant poems in chaste Tamizh.

Such stories and poems enlighten us and show us the right path.

ILaiyaraaja’s music also gives us this enlightenment because it takes us all to a completely different plane giving us a spiritual experience.

The song we are going to see today gives us that experience like many of his compositions.

It is based on Pahaadi raag.

Pahaadi is a Hindustani raag and as the name suggests, it originated from the mountains.Because of this reason, this raag cannot be defined by a rigid structure and one ‘feels’ it rather than define it straining their grey cells.

Please note that the notes with the capital letters are the higher octave notes (called ‘Mel Sthaayi’) and the ones with the small letters are the lower octave notes(called ‘Keezh Sthaayi’).

Doesn’t it look like a mountainous terrain? It is of course as beautiful as a mountain.

Let us now look at the song of the day- ‘Ennaththil Edho Chillendrathu’ from the film ‘KallukkuL Eeram’(1980).

As usual, the song has an unusual start.The Ghatam plays the Tisram pattern in fast tempo (mel kaalam) and this itself acts as the shruti. The subtle ankle bells joins in Tisram. The humming of Janaki and the flute that follows her after each phrase exude an aromatic fragrance. The dynamic bass guitar, the lilting flute and the vivacious Janaki combine with a spirit of joi de verve. The luminous guitar and the resplendent flute dovetail sensitively and lead us to the Pallavi.

The Pallavi glows with incandescent musical light. The short first line is followed by the Guitar and the flute with ghatam dynamics adding buoyancy. The alien swara ‘ga2’ in the next line makes it look more beautiful.

The first interlude shows the inherent glory of the raag.

The flute traipses up and down reminding us of a mountain. The violins in the absence of percussion instrument now indulge in sensitive inflections with the accordion echoing the same notes. The violins now make liquid glides with the lilting flute giving alluring phrases as repartees.

The sound of the breeze towards the end is fertilely imaginative. Please note that the CharaNam starts with the word ‘Thendral’(breeze).

The CharaNam is laced with delicate phrases.

The first part is a smooth flowing melody.The first two lines are repeated. The second time one hears the skillfully woven musical pieces responding to the vocals.

The middle part of the CharaNam is a delicacy of expression.

The final part showcases all the colours of the Raag with the swerving flute heightening the melodic equation of delineation.

The second interlude is musically exhaustive and shows us varying sheaves of melody.It starts with the violins and the double bass giving an exquisite exposition. Peppered with phrases of authority are the twin flute gallivants up and down with glee. The pulsating string instrument -joined by the ghatam- dances with ecstasy. The exhilarating bass flute oscillates with elegance leaving us asking for more.It is like a dancing musical fountain.

Unruffled by all this, the violins lead us to the second CharaNam in a serene demeanor.

10 comments:

Nice post. It is a beautiful composition. The emphasis that he used to give, to flute violins etc... amazing. no wonder he brought out "Nothing But Wind". Comparatively, his Pahaadis are very less but he composed some very nice melodies in this raaga.

Oh, I thought he composed about 15-20 Pahadis and given his fascination for Maayamalawagowla or Keeravani (in which there are 100s of songs), I felt the number is less. Didnt know that he composed as many in Pahaadi too!

Currently, I am involved in a project of listing out all ragas used by him (in all his 4000+ compositions!).Since it is a mega project, it might take some more time.Once I publish this, I think we can count his exact no.of compositions in each raga.I am sure Sindhu Bhairavi or Nata Bhairavi will top the list with KiravaNi and Pahaadi coming a close second and third.

One thing I still regret is losing the audio cassette of this movie. I think it was combination of this movie and 'Niram Maaratha Pookal'. It was favorite of mine and my wife as well. Somehow we managed to lose it. Not been able to get the tape / CD anywhere till now. But then, in case of many Raja songs, they play in your mind, don't they.

I will go with you as far as Pahadi is concerned. Raja seems to have done quite a lot of Pahadi based songs. If I am not mistaken, the 'swapnangal kannezhudiya' from 'Bhagyadevatha' is Pahadi as well and what a lovely one at that. Raja has his own style when it comes to Pahadi usage and maybe that is why we can't get it the first, as you would some of the great Hindi classics like 'Chaudvin Ka Chand' or 'Suhaane Raat'.

Best wishes for your listing / book. It is a mammoth project made more complicated by the fact that it is difficult to pin down the exact raga in many songs. Is it a new raga, a change in raga or just a lovely use of anyaswara. It can cut any which way and that will be the main challenge you will have to deal with.